Tons of waste cleared from Proefplaas
The community came together to protect the slice of nature in the Moot.
Residents in Rietondale pulled together a massive effort to remove tons of trash and illegally dumped waste from the Proefplaas along Soutpansberg Road on Saturday, July 27.
Rietondale representative from Die Moot Projek, Ronel De Wet, thanked those involved in the clean-up.
“I’m sure we are all safer after I heard a few vagrants also have been removed,” she said.
“We need more people like yourselves in Rietondale.”
She said the clean-up was part of a greater revitalisation of the neighbourhood that had seen the painting of road markings, streetlights, and curbs, clearing of the canal and neatening of the Rietondale park, including the renovation of the play area.
Resident Klarine Schutte and fiancé Martin Engelbrecht began the initiative along with the Moot Project to clean the Proefplaas.
The land belongs to the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI), which supported the initiative.
About 20 volunteers managed to fill two 6-ton skips and a 3-ton skip, with over 100 bags in just a few hours from 07:00 to 15:00.
“It was a nice team and everyone really contributed,” said Engelbrecht.
He said local business DB Landscaping organised the Bobcat, vehicles and labour, along with other community businesses to remove trash and building rubble illegally dumped on the land.
“For now, we focused on the area between the main entrance to the Proefplaas on Soutpansberg Road and Tom Jenkins Avenue.
“We will expand into the rest of the Proefplaas, but for now we focused on the area closest to Rietondale.”
Together with the local security company Quatro, the team was also able to remove vagrants who were collecting waste from the neighbourhood who had set up shop on the land.
“We are so thankful for the force multipliers of Die Moot Projek and DB Landscaping. Without them and the community coming together, this would not have been possible.
“It is very important for people to be the change that you want to see. It’s easy for them to give the thumbs up on the WhatsApp group, but it is the hard work on the ground and the funding that makes things happen.”
He said the land is used by the Pretoria Zoo, where tree branches are used to feed its elephant and giraffe and the plantation of Bluegum trees to feed koalas at the zoo.
The DPWI recently awarded a tender for fencing to be erected around the site for added security, while residents in the area would still be able to enjoy access to the natural area.
The department and resident organisations are also working hard to conserve the area by removing invasive plant species, while recently levelled land that was mistakenly thought to be a soccer field would be used for grass farming.
Residents who missed the opportunity to assist have another chance as the project will continue on August 10 from 07:00.
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